Good news: Turkish Daily News published another OP-ED written by yours truly. The main subject of the column is the tension that exists between secularists and moderate Islamists. One of the major problems is – quite simply – that the two sides greatly distrust each other. Secularists fear that if they give up an inch, Islamists will demand a foot; moderate Islamists fear that secularists will stage a coup and oppose their wish to live according to their beliefs.
In the column I write:
The political challenge of today’s Turkey is to reconcile the secular system with Turkey’s Islamic nature. In other words, today’s political challenge is to allow people to live according to their religion, while at the same time protecting those who are either irreligious or who have a different interpretation of the Koran.
And that is the crux of the matter – change will in this regard come, if for nothing else than because conservative Muslims are gaining power and influence. A solution has to be found.
For those interested in Turkish politics, and more generally the question how to deal with Islamists, please head on over to Turkish Daily News.
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